Supported by the
Education Section, Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in
Chicago, and organized by the Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University (CIVU), the first US Mid-West CI
Directors’ Forum was held at Valparaiso University (VU) on October 23. Attending
this forum were delegates from eight CIs of
this region, three Consuls of Education, and teachers and leaders from Valparaiso University.

Vice President Mark Schwehn making welcoming speech

The forum was conducted in four sessions, the first two in the morning and the last two in
the afternoon. In Session One, “CI’s
Fortes”, Marian Maciej-Hiner, Director of the Confucius
Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, shared their experiences
and practices in introducing to American people the cultures of the 56 ethnic
groups of China. They were planning an exhibition of 100 full-color photos of
China's 56 ethnic communities, which would include
photos of traditional costumes as well as China's breathtaking landscape. They
hoped to find CIs which would be interested in hosting such an exhibition.

Consul Wang Xiaowei making opening remarks

Yang Yiping,
Associate Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis,
gave a brief introduction to the delegates of their
Asian Studies and International Trade program set up in 2007. Hong Wei,
Director of the Confucius Institute at Purdue University, in her presentation entitled “Visibility
and Impact: Purdue’s Vision”, related to the audience how her CI laid emphasis on value-added
services to enhance its visibility
in Purdue University and the greater West
Lafayette area, with the view of developing their CI sustainably. The
Confucius Institute at the Community College of Denver had its Associate
Director, Gan Changyin, speak to the delegates on how they conducted activities
to draw attention,
and generate interest,
of the local people, and to further help them to learn Chinese language
and culture.

In Session Two, “Resources”, Meng Jianyun, Director of the CIVU, gave
an account of their
efforts and experiences in organizing music exchange programs between China and
the US. He introduced to the audience two of his long-time collaborators, Dr.
Jeffery Doebler, music professor of VU, and
Michael Boo, professional composer of Valparaiso, both
of whom reflected on their music trips to China and how much they enjoyed, and benefited from, working with the
CIVU. “When I heard the music from a performance by ethic people in China, I
couldn’t help turning it into notes for my American colleagues and audiences. Indeed, music plays such an important role
in bringing cultures together that we can never
over-emphasize the benefit
of exchange.” Boo’s remarks were echoed
by many present at the forum.

In Session
Three, “Service and Communication”, Xu Zaocheng, Director of the Confucius
Institute in Indianapolis, talked about how his CI
communicated with the local people and institutions by making use of various mass media, and how it served the local
citizens. Jiang Hongling, Associate Director of
the Confucius Institute at Purdue University, shared their experiences in running Chinese language
programs. Huo Yu, Curriculum Coordinator of the Confucius Institute at the
University of Iowa, talked about their teacher training programs.

In Session Four,
“HSK Testing and Performing Arts”, Zhang Zhe, Associate Director of the Confucius
Institute in Indianapolis, briefed the delegates on how their newly-established
HSK Testing Center was operated. He
indicated, like the Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis, which had
their Testing Center set up in April, 2009, that they’d be willing to be of assistance if any other CI had students
who’d like to take HSK. Then
Gu Ying, Chinese language teacher from the Confucius Institute at Purdue
University, demonstrated, with ample examples,
how the new HSK works and how their students did in the latest tests.

The last, but certainly not least, speaker was Joseph Lam, Director of the
Confucius Institute at the University of Michigan. Speaking on “Understanding
China through Its Performing Arts”, Lam convinced the delegates that through
performing arts American students could come to understand, effectively, not
only the superficial meaning of a body gesture or
a facial expression but also its in-depth meaning,
and that they’d thus get a better understanding of the Chinese language and culture.

Prof Meng speaking

The tightly-scheduled
forum left little time to waste. During lunch time, Kung Hsiang-te, Director of
the Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis, gave a lecture entitled “Emerging China”. He communicated
to the audience that China’s reform and opening
up had scored unprecedented achievements in creating material wealth for its people
and opportunities for the world at large. He also expressed concerns for the environment and resources. Liu
Qiang, one of the three Consuls of Education attending the forum---the other two being Wang Xiaowei and Li Changhua, commented
that the lecture presented a balanced
picture of China and brought us to the awareness of protecting the environment
and resources.

Prof Doebler speaking

After the lecture,
delegates and guests witnessed the inauguration
of the CIVU’s Chinese Culture Exploratorium facilities and Hanban-donated books
to the Christopher Center, VU’s library. Rick AmRhein, Chief Information
Officer of VU, spoke highly of the CIVU’s contribution to the cultural
diversity of VU, making it an international university in its truest sense.

Mr Boo speaking

Mark Schwehn, VU’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic
Affairs, kicked the forum off by welcoming the delegates and guests on behalf
of VU. Following the provost’s welcoming speech, Wang Xiaowei, Director of the
Education Section, made the opening remarks. He expressed his thanks to the CIs
for their contributions to helping local Americans to learn Chinese language
and culture, and to promoting understanding and exchange between the two
nations. He also emphasized the necessity of initiating such an occasion for
CIs of this area to exchange and share experiences, which “will do a lot of
good for the sustainable development of Confucius
Institutes”. The forum was coordinated and presided over by
Liu Jiangang, Associate Director of the CIVU.

Since the forum coincided with the final day of the CIVU’s Third
Annual Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival, in the evening the delegates were invited to appreciate the gala concert
of the festival, which served as a living example of how the CIVU conducted its
cultural exchange programs. Kung Hsiang-te, 75th descendant of
Confucius, gave out the Zhiyin Award
to Dr. Dennis Friesen-Carper and Dr. Jeffery Doebler for their contributions to
the music exchange programs of the CIVU.

Upon conclusion of the forum, it was suggested
that:

1.
The
Education Section of the Consulate-General of China in Chicago help to set up a
network of communication for the CIs in this region. At the same time, each of
these CIs hyper-link the other sister CIs to its website.

2. The
US Mid-West CI Directors’ Forum be held annually on a rotating basis; attendance
at the proposed forums will be voluntary, though. The Confucius Institute at
the University of Michigan will host the next forum, probably sometime in early
or mid October, 2011.

3. The
CI directors of this region find some time to discuss the events of the current
year and to exchange experiences and resources, in conjunction with the annual
CI World Conference in Beijing in December and the CIs’ US meeting in April or May.

4. Each
CI of this region run a tryout Chinese speech contest and select its
representative contestants for the final contest, which, ideally, will be held
in a centrally located city, such as Chicago, which is more convenient for most
of the students from other Mid-West states. The Confucius Institute at Purdue
University expressed their willingness to serve as venue for the final contest
in 2011.

The forum was covered by journalists from both the Xinhua News Agency and China Daily USA. The following are their
reports: